“Erlking,” I told her. “Big-time bad guy. Wants to eat me.”“Why?” she asked.“Well. I met him,” I said.”

“Come on," I said to Karrin. "Head for the other boat.""Should we?" she asked. "That Erlking guy seems a little..do-it-yourselfy.”

“I stared up at the Erlking, and with my typical pithy brilliance said, "Uh-oh.”

“Okay," I said to Karrin. "Let's move.""Uh," she asked, without turning her head. "move where?""The island," I said."Harry, this is a motorcycle.""It'll work," I said. "Look at it."Karrin jerked as she noted the appearance of the Harley. "You want me to drive into the lake.""You have to admit," I said, "it isn't the craziest thing I've ever asked you to do. It isn't even the craziest thing I've asked you to do tonight.”

“Why?" I demanded of her. "Why bring the child into this? Why not just come straight to me?""Does it matter at this point?"I shrugged. "Not really. I'm curious."She stared at me for a moment and then she smiled. "You don't know."I eyed her warily. "Don't know what?""Dear boy," she said. "This was never about you."I scowled. "I don't understand.""Obviously," Arianna said, and gave me a stunning smile. "Die confused.”

“She's going to do nothing but try to trick information out of me that I shouldn't be giving her, Mac," I said."Ungh," Mac agreed."Why did I say yes?"Mac shrugged."She's pretty," I said. "Smart. Sexy.""Ungh.""Any red-blooded man would have done the same thing.""Hngh," Mac snorted."Well. Maybe not you."Mac smiled a bit, mollified."Still. It's going to make trouble for me. I must be crazy to go for someone like that." I picked up my sandwich, and sighed."Dumb," Mac said."I just said she was smart, Mac."Mac's face flickered into that smile, and it made him look years younger, almost boyish. "Not her," he said. "You.”

“If your new boss wanted yo on the island, wouldn't she just have told you to go there?" Thomas asked."Seems like," I said. "Taking her orders is pretty much my job now."Molly snorted softly."Maybe I'll grow into it," I said. "You don't know."Thomas snorted softly.”